New-York tribune., 1887-11-22
pE-pNrRANCE OF MIR. JEFFERSON.

Tho recurrence Of Grip Van winkle" is harmonious
with the gentle and gracious spirit OF our season %
thanks giving and happiness. Mr. Jefferson appeareo
last night at Niblos Theatre In the old familiar char
acter Of "Rp Van winke," and he was greeted with
Afectonate good will by crowded house. The pres
ence OF this fine comedian affords privilege to the
blay. going community which should by no means DO
neglected Such acting as that Of Mr.. Jefferson Is al
education IS we'll as delight 1t especially teaches
the Imperative Importance, In dramatic art, OF thor
ough and perfect plan which yet by freshness OF sp
and spontaneity Of execution, shall be made to seeV
free and careless Mr. Jeerson's present emDodlmenl
OF rip Van winkep has been prominently before the
public for than twenty years yet 1t is not hack
heyed and it docs not grow tresome.
The secret Of Its vitality is its poetry. thriftless'
commonplace sot, as drawn by Washington Irving, DO
dreamike drifting, poetic vagabond, as trans
figured and embodied by this actor; and the dignity
Of his artistic work Is augmented ather than dimin
shed from tho fact that he operates drama through
out which tho expedient Of inebrety, as motive o
action, Is largely and needlessly exaggerated Mr
Boucicault working under explicit Information as tt
Mr. Jefersons views and wishes with reference to tht
part certainly improved the old piece; but as certainly
the scheme show tho sunny sweetness and ndolens
temperament Of Rip" Is clumsily planned while the
text Is devoid of literary excellence and intellectual
character--attrbutes which, though not dramatic, are
desirable In connection with dramatic expcdients Tho
actor immensely superior to the play and may In
deed be said make 1t Tho ob'i0uS go0dno,' VI his
heart the deop sincerity Of his moral purpose, tho
p,tensl force Of his Of beauiy, the supremacy
iu Inn & what VoltATe The dist t. Call The fac
ulty OF taste, tho 20 and incc'san chaim oi
bis tempcrament-these are the means-ruled and
guided by clear vision and strong WILL and made to
animate an artistic figure possessing both symmetry
and luxuriaDt wildness that mako the greatness o.,
Mr. Jefcrson's embodiment of " Rip Van Winkle." He
has created q character whom everybody loves and
whom everybody will continue to love, notwithstand
ing his weakness OF nature and his ndoent and thrift
less conduct.
Mr. Jefferson, of course never had tho purpose to
exto mprovdence or extenuate the wrong and misory
Of nebrety. Tho opportunity that he discerned ano
lovely nature set free the shackes Of
ality and ciroumscrbed with picturesque, romantic
surroundings, during momentous experience OF spr
iual life, and Of the mntabty OF this world me
me bottle, as poor Ripe falling, and an unjust
exaggeration Of the vIrago quality In "Cretchen" II
sSsd Be to- sis ss Ssn
tho lmpsdments Of his subject rather than tho spirit
of his art and the beauty OF his 70 set ms
degrading light But fortunately, the heart has Its
logic ss we'll as tho head, and all men and women are
not without masination The hear. anu Rln VsD
winkes and have accepted him, therefore, into tho
sanctuary OF their Affection This was again made
manifest last night In the eager attention and freq0en
four acts, the first curtain falling on the Interrupted
dance, the second the expulsion OF RIP the thlro
on the marvellous ghost scene and the last on the
sGretchcn," Mr. Edwin yarrey I" Derrick" Mr. George
May woolcott Meenle' and Mr. Geofrey Hawley
Performance, all round She viii be produced al
Nlpio's Theatre next Monday.